On 21 July 1914, the German Ambassador to Austria-Hungary Heinrich von Tschirschky (pictured) met the Austro-Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Leopold Count Berchtold. Tschirschky informed Berchtold of the visit of the Serbian Ambassador to Germany to the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Heinrich von Tschirschky

Visit of the German Ambassador to the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Vienna, 21 July 1914.

The Imperial German Ambassador, according the instructions from Berlin, today communicated a telegram from Herr von Jagow [the German Minister of Foreign Affairs], according to which the Royal Servian representative in Berlin, no doubt instructed by a circular to all the Servian representatives, declared to the Minister of Foreign Affairs that Servia intended maintaining the best and most correct relations with the neighbouring monarchy and was prepared to comply with all Austria-Hungary’s demands after a strict inquiry in Sarajevo, as long as the kingdom’s honour and sovereignty allowed this.

The Royal Servian representative had at the same time requested the German government to use its influence with the cabinet in Vienna in a conciliatory sense.

Herr von Tschirschky added that Herr von Jagow had told the Servian representative that according to the opinion of the German government, Servia’s attitude towards Austria-Hungary had of latter years lacked correctness and neighbourliness to such a degree that it would be but natural if the cabinet in Vienna would use very energetic language putting forth its demands.